CITING YOUR SOURCES You will need to look up and use other people's information and ideas when researching and writing a paper. However, you need to make sure that you give credit to your resources by letting the reader of your paper know where you found your information. Referencing a resources and then identifying that resource within a research paper is known as a citing your sources. Where do I cite my sources when I am writing a paper? There are different styles that people use to cite sources, but the most common style is called MLA (Modern Language Association). When using MLA, there are two places in your paper that you cite your sources; within paragraphs (known as parenthetical citations) and again at the end of the paper on a separate page (known as a works cited page). Each type of source (i.e. website, book, lecture) is cited differently within your paper.
How are parenthetical citations similar to a works cited page? Both a works cited page and a parenthetical citation inform the reader of the sources from which you obtained information. Together, they tell the reader both the source of information and the specific location in source where the referenced information is located.
How do parenthetical citations differ from a works cited page? First, they are located in different places. Parenthetical citations are placed in parentheses at the end of a sentence within the text. A works cited page is placed at the end of the paper on a separate page.
Second, their formats are different. A works cited page is an alphabetical list of your sources that includes a lot of specific information about each source (i.e. author, title of the work, the publisher, the date published, etc). A parenthetical citation consists of only a few words that tell the reader what source (from the works cited page) you are referring to in the paragraph. It also tells the reader where to look in that source to find the referenced information.
Third, their purposes are different. The main purpose of the works cited page is to provide a list of every source that you referenced while writing the paper. It contains enough information so that the reader can locate these sources. Whereas the main purpose of a parenthetical citation is to indicate what information in the paragraph you are citing and what resource you obtained it from.
Therefore, each parenthetical citation must correspond to one source on the works cited page. Below are examples of a works cited page and a parenthetical citation. Notice how each source (i.e. website, book) is cited differently.
Example of a Works Cited Page:
Douglas, Mary. "Taboo." Man, Myth & Magic. Ed. Richard Cavendish. New ed. 21 vols. New York: Cavendish, 1994. 2546-2549. Dundes, Alan. "Taboo." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed. Rothenberg, Kelly. "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society." 1996. BME/Psyber City. 18 Jan. 2005 http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/tattab.html.
Example of a Parenthetical Citation:
(notice how the authors in the paragraph correspond to the list of authors on the Works Cited Page)
The Many Facets of TabooThe World Book Encyclopedia defines Taboo as "an action, object, person, or place forbidden by law or culture" (Dundes 547). Mary Douglas has analyzed the many facets and interpretations of taboos across various cultures. In her view, taboos could be considered a kind of "brain-washing" (Douglas 2546-9) as they are transmitted to individuals along with an entire cultural system made up of a pattern of values and norms. In traditional British East Africa, between the time of puberty and marriage, a young Akamba girl must maintain an avoidance relationship with her own father (Rothenberg).
Lucky for you.......you already have a software program called Noodle Tools that helps you to create your Works Cited page. All you need to do is answer a few questions about your resources and it generates the page for you! Sweet! But, you still need to create the parenthetical citations in your paper where necessary. The link to Noodle Tools and MLA information at BHS is below: https://sites.google.com/a/brookfieldps.org/bhs-learning-commons/mla---works-cited
You will need to look up and use other people's information and ideas when researching and writing a paper. However, you need to make sure that you give credit to your resources by letting the reader of your paper know where you found your information. Referencing a resources and then identifying that resource within a research paper is known as a citing your sources.
Where do I cite my sources when I am writing a paper?
There are different styles that people use to cite sources, but the most common style is called MLA (Modern Language Association). When using MLA, there are two places in your paper that you cite your sources; within paragraphs (known as parenthetical citations) and again at the end of the paper on a separate page (known as a works cited page). Each type of source (i.e. website, book, lecture) is cited differently within your paper.
How are parenthetical citations similar to a works cited page?
Both a works cited page and a parenthetical citation inform the reader of the sources from which you obtained information. Together, they tell the reader both the source of information and the specific location in source where the referenced information is located.
How do parenthetical citations differ from a works cited page?
First, they are located in different places. Parenthetical citations are placed in parentheses at the end of a sentence within the text. A works cited page is placed at the end of the paper on a separate page.
Second, their formats are different. A works cited page is an alphabetical list of your sources that includes a lot of specific information about each source (i.e. author, title of the work, the publisher, the date published, etc). A parenthetical citation consists of only a few words that tell the reader what source (from the works cited page) you are referring to in the paragraph. It also tells the reader where to look in that source to find the referenced information.
Third, their purposes are different. The main purpose of the works cited page is to provide a list of every source that you referenced while writing the paper. It contains enough information so that the reader can locate these sources. Whereas the main purpose of a parenthetical citation is to indicate what information in the paragraph you are citing and what resource you obtained it from.
Therefore, each parenthetical citation must correspond to one source on the works cited page. Below are examples of a works cited page and a parenthetical citation. Notice how each source (i.e. website, book) is cited differently.
Example of a Works Cited Page:
Dundes, Alan. "Taboo." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed.
Rothenberg, Kelly. "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society." 1996. BME/Psyber City. 18 Jan. 2005 http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/tattab.html.
(notice how the authors in the paragraph correspond to the list of authors on the Works Cited Page)
Lucky for you.......you already have a software program called Noodle Tools that helps you to create your Works Cited page. All you need to do is answer a few questions about your resources and it generates the page for you! Sweet! But, you still need to create the parenthetical citations in your paper where necessary. The link to Noodle Tools and MLA information at BHS is below:
https://sites.google.com/a/brookfieldps.org/bhs-learning-commons/mla---works-cited